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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297059">A Flight Fit For Two</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jay_me_says/pseuds/jay_me_says'>jay_me_says</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hermitcraft RPF, Minecraft (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Gen, Platonic Relationships, platonic, yes beta we die like ladies</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-11 00:53:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,272</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28297059</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jay_me_says/pseuds/jay_me_says</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Grian goes to collect Mumbo when he overworks himself on a redstone project</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Oliver Brotherhood &amp; Charles | Grian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>81</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>A Flight Fit For Two</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thank you to my QPP for naming this one :D</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>How long had it been since Mumbo had taken a break? Hours? A day? </p>
<p>Whatever the case, his joints ached and his fingers were dyed a harsh crimson from all the redstone he’d been handling. His jacket had been balled up and tossed to the side ages ago, leaving his white button-down vulnerable to the redstone dust. The stains were sure to be a pain to remove. Maybe if he was extra sweet, he could convince Stress to give him a little magical help with them again. She’d sworn last time that he needed to either start dealing with the stains himself or change before he started working because she was done dealing with it for him. But she had also said that the last five times he’d asked.</p>
<p>Mumbo really had meant to start changing shirts before working, he didn’t want to keep bothering Stress with it, but it was difficult. Sometimes he got an idea and he just couldn’t get to his journal, or even his closet, fast enough. Sometimes it truly felt like if he didn’t start working on the idea <i>right that instant</i> he would just burst. He’d spoken to Iskall about it once, relieved to find his fellow Hermit had the same experience. And, once, Grian had mentioned a similar drive for building ideas.

Thinking about his friends, Mumbo pulls his communicator from a pocket and checks the activity list to see if either of the former Sahara members had been active recently. A small smile tugs at his mustached features when he sees Grian’s face and name on the list. He’d have to stop by later. After just a little more work…</p>
<p>~</p>
<p>Five minutes turned into an hour, which turned into two. Mumbo was completely and utterly lost in his project. He kept messing with the fine details, trying to get everything just right. At this point, his aching joints and dry, dusty hands begged for a break. <i>Just a little more</i>, he replied each time. </p>
<p>He was so enthralled by the project that he almost didn’t hear the rockets. </p>
<p>After taking a second to register the familiar, high sound of the fireworks, he looks up. There, twirling gracefully through the sky, was a friendly, winged figure in red.

Mumbo swears he could watch Grian fly for hours. His movements in the air were utterly mesmerizing. (Not quite as mesmerizing as Mumbo’s redstone projects, but nearly.) He thinks it’s astounding how his friend manages to make flight look so natural. Like he was born for the air and the elytra is just a subpar replacement for what should be real wings. </p>
<p>The builder lands close by, twirling midair as he touches down gently. He shoots Mumbo a smile and the taller man instantly smiles back, glad to see his friend. </p>
<p>“Hey, man,” Grian says as he approaches. “You’ve been on the activity list for a while, but I hadn’t seen you for a bit so I thought I would check up on you.” </p>
<p>He pauses to survey the jumble of redstone, then Mumbo’s stained hands and his face. As he meets the other man’s eyes, slight concern shifts into his features. From previous experiences, Mumbo has reason to suspect that he’s about to be forced away from his precious project.  </p>
<p>“When was the last time you slept?” Grian asks. </p>
<p>Mumbo mutters something, even he isn’t quite sure what, and looks at the ground to avoid Grian’s eyes. His knees scream at him to sit or stand- anything. He’d been kneeling for who-knows-how-long and when Grian had landed, Mumbo had simply shifted to face him rather than getting up.</p>
<p>“What was that?”</p>
<p>“I, er, I don’t actually know when I last slept,” Mumbo clarifies, glancing up at Grian again. </p>
<p>The brunette looks slightly aghast. “<i>Mumbo</i>,” he complains, half-gasping. </p>
<p>The redstoner sighs. “Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. I just got so wrapped up in this project, I had to start working on it as soon as the idea came to me.” </p>
<p>Grian still frowns a little, but nods. “I get it, I’m guilty of that kind of stuff, too. But you should get some rest soon. Or, now, actually. And when was the last time you ate?” </p>
<p>Mumbo hadn’t even considered that and, suddenly, his stomach feels very, very empty. Like, void-in-the-End empty. Insanely empty. </p>
<p>Grian takes his silence as an answer. He crosses the short distance between the two and extends a hand. Mumbo takes it and lets Grian help him to his feet. It’s an unnecessary gesture, but a sweet one that reminds Mumbo of why he likes being friends with Grian.</p>
<p>About a dozen things in his body crack on the way up. The two meet eyes, hands still clasped between them, looking somewhere between shocked and appalled. Then, they completely break down into laughter. Mumbo lets go of Grian’s hand as he doubles over, hands on his knees, shoulders shaking. </p>
<p>When they finally gain their composure, the grins stick to their faces.</p>
<p>Adjusting the straps on his elytra and pulling out some rockets, Grian says, “Alright, alright. Enough. Let’s get you back to your base. Think you can make the flight back?” </p>
<p>Mumbo smiles a little more when he notices Grian now has redstone dust on his hand and a little smudge of it on his face. “Yeah, it’s not far, I’ll be alright. You might want to wipe your face off a bit there, mate. And your hands.”</p>
<p>He looks confused for a second, then snorts when he looks down at his hand. “Ah, I see.” He wanders to a nearby pond to rinse off what he can while Mumbo grabs his jacket from the ground nearby. The red dust leaves behind a stain they both know will be there for at least another day.</p>
<p>Once Mumbo has gathered a few more odds and ends into a shulker box and nestled it in his inventory, the pair set off. </p>
<p>Flying with Grian is something Mumbo treasures. It’s Grian’s <i>thing</i>, as much as building. When someone flies with him, they get to see his movements up close. To Mumbo, it feels like being invited to a special little world that’s separate from the ground. </p>
<p>Of course, Grian flies with plenty of his friends all of the time. It’s nothing important. But that doesn’t make it any less special in Mumbo’s eyes. </p>
<p>The flight is over too soon. Mumbo had hoped to catch Grian doing a few more tricks before they landed, but the promise of food makes up for it. </p>
<p>The two wander over to Mumbo’s food chest, chatting and catching up while the redstoner eats. Once finished, he interrupts their conversation with another big yawn. Grian would later joke to him that he swears he saw his jaw unhinge. </p>
<p>“You really should sleep now, Mumbo. We should hang out when you get some energy back, though,” the builder says.</p>
<p>“Yeah, alright. I’ll send something in chat when I wake up.” </p>
<p>“Sounds good. Sleep well, Mumbo.” </p>
<p>“Bye, Grian.” </p>
<p>With a final wave, he launches off from Mumbo’s base on his elytra. Mumbo watches him fly away until he’s nothing but a tiny red speck against the blue sky. Then, he turns towards his bed. With Grian gone, exhaustion has finally set in. It seems impossible to him now that he had even kept his eyelids open during their conversation.</p>
<p>It feels amazing when he finally flops onto the squishy bed, pulling the black bedding up around him. As he drifts off into a deep sleep, Mumbo smiles a little, feeling taken care of. He’s glad he has friends like Grian to depend on.</p>
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